Venetian blind



R. C. PIERCE VENETIAN BIJ/IND original Filed sept. 19,l 1935 April 25, 1939.

Patented Apr. 25, 1939 VENETIAN BLIND Robert C. Pierce, Niles, Mich., assigner to National Standard Company, Niles, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Original application September 19, 1935, Serial No. 41,199. Divided and this application March 6, 1937, Serial No. 129,296

1 Claim.

This invention relates to the manufacture of Venetian blinds or the like, and more especially to the slats forming the transverse elements or shutters of the blinds, and to an improved method of 5 making such slats.

An object of the invention is to provide durable, light-weight, and inexpensive slats or shutter elements for Venetian blinds, of such a structure that they are translucent, and preferably l with an attractive pattern outlined against light transmitted therethrough. I prefer to use as the base or blank, from which the slat is made, a blank of wires associated to form a mesh with relatively large open spaces, giving the desired l pattern, and which is preferably made by expanding widthwise a flat braid of wire.

The edges of the blank are bound, and the blank is then dipped in non-metallic material which is of a translucent nature and which when dried forms a protective coating for the wires and for the binding material, and which bridges across the open spaces between the wires of the blank .to form a tough lm therebetween.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the slats and method of forming them illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of part of one of the slats made from expanded braid, with parts of the edge bindings and of the non-metallic coating broken away to show underlying structure;

Figure 2 is a section therethrough on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing a slat made from woven wire cloth; and Figure 4 is a plan view of the finished slat. The slat herein illustrated as the preferred embodiment of my invention is made from a wire tape Il), preferably braided as shown in Figure l except that the meshes are not at that time spread out and opened, i. e. the braid consists of a compact flat structure comprising a number of wires I2 each of which extends the full length of the braid and which extend alternately over and under each other diagonally of the braid as appears in Figure l.

The rst step in the manufacture of the shutters from such a braid is the spreading of the wires I2 apart, to form relatively large spaces or meshes I6 therebetween; the next step is ordinarily to crimp sheet metal U-section binders I8 along the edges; and the braid is then cut in sections o1' blanks. If desired, the ends may also be bound similarly with crimped .,U-section binders 20. The coating material is then applied, and suitable openings 22 (protected by eyelets or the like) are formed for the cords by which the blinds are operated.

The coating material may be any suitable 5 material which can be \rnixed with a solvent to such a consistency that it will form a fllm |20 covering the wires and the edge bindings and bridging across the spaces or meshes I6 between the wires, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and which l0 will dry to form a tough, thin, translucent, durable film. One example might be: 106 pounds cellulose acetate (or nitrate), 2'7 gallons toluol, 131/2 gallons butyl acetate, 41/2 gallons butyl alcohol, and 2 gallons dibutyl phthalate. Or a l5 simple solution of nitrocellulose in butyl lactate may be used, suliicient of the solvent being used to make asolution as thin as will bridge across the spaces I6 between the wires. Various other lacquers and the like may be used, usually con- 20 sisting of various mixtures of cellulose esters or other compounds with plasticizer or a resin or both, and a solvent such as butyl lactate, butyl alcohol, ether, acetone, and the like. 'I'he coating, when applied, forms a continuous impervious 25 coating for the wires and for the edge binders and bridges integrally across the spaces between the wires, the binders and wires being imbedded in the material of the coating. I

The shutter or slat so made, after the drying 30 of the translucent film, may if desired be additionally treated by brushing or spraying or other- Wise applying on one or both of its sides a further coat containing, for example, cellulose acetate and a pigment or dye or other coloring 35 material, with a relatively small amount of solvent which is driven off in drying. l

By selecting these outer coatings of suitable different colors, the shutter will appear one color on one side (viewed by reflected light) and a 40 different (reflected) color on the other side, and will be a still different (combination) color when viewed by transmitted light. The wire pattern adds to the pleasing effect of the design.

If desired, the shutter may be provided with 45 differently colored intermediate films of the above-described materials. These are not visible from either side by reflected light', but modify the color of the transmitted light. Such intermediate coatings may be of one solid color, or 50 may be applied in various patterns or figures. In some cases these intermediate coatings may be merely a solution of coloring material in a solvent such as butyl lactate.

Some of the advantages of the invention may memes I claim:

A translucent element for a blind or the like comprising an elongated blank of wires associated to form a mesh with relatively large open spaces, bindings for the edges of the blank, and a continuous impervious coating for the wires and said bindings which bridges integrally across said spaces, said bindings and said wires being imbedded in the material of said coating.

RQBERT C. PIERCE. 

